


Of Men and Matter

by moon_custafer



Category: People Will Talk (1951)
Genre: 1950s, Atomic Age, Countdown to OT3, Everything Isn't Atoms, Friendship/Love, Gen, M/M, Yes it Is, You'll Understand When You Meet Her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 15:36:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15440220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moon_custafer/pseuds/moon_custafer
Summary: “Noah, one of the differences between matter and mankind is that in matter all relationships can be stated; whereas between people they can rarely be put into words.”





	Of Men and Matter

"You WHAT?!” Professor Barker’s accent was always heavier when he was surprised, and just now he was downright shocked.

“I got married,” replied Dr. Praetorius cheerfully.

“Noah, you were supposed to be attending a medical convention, not honeymooning.”

“It is entirely possible to combine work with pleasure-- Debra and I have proven that to our own satisfaction. The state has a three-day waiting period between getting the license and going before the judge, and we had to do _something_ to fill the time, and I was booked for the convention anyway. We attended a particularly stimulating panel discussion on iodine and its—“

“Debra,” Barker interrupted, “is the name of your good wife?”

“It is. I do apologize for never mentioning her in your hearing before, old man, but we really only met very recently. I’ll introduce you to her and her father and Beelzebub tonight after rehearsal.” In response to his friend’s unblinking blue stare, Praetorius added: “Beelzebub is the dog.”

“Debra's dog, or her father’s?”

“All of ours now. We could hardly leave him with her uncle, any more than we could leave her father. You’d understand if you met the man, Lionel. Just to talk to him would’ve given you hives. The uncle, I mean.”

Professor Barker ran a hand through his hair, trying unsuccessfully to smooth it down.

“I don’t dispute that your wife’s uncle, whoever he is, is a cad of the first water; but Noah-- it’s not standard practice, when eloping, to take the bride’s father with you; much less the family dog.”

“Now, now-- I had nothing to do with the dog. Beelzebub eloped with Shunderson; it was entirely the dog’s idea, and the timing was merely coincidental.”

Barker looked at his maddening friend and made one final attempt to explain his views on the matter:

“I work in a field that conducts delicate and extremely dangerous experiments with fissionable materials; and I can safely say that the idea of marrying someone on two weeks’ acquaintance terrifies me a hell of a lot more.”

Praetorius gave him one of those fond reassuring looks that his absurdly handsome face could do so well. Barker wondered how many of his patients he had used it on, over the years.

“Sometimes it doesn’t take so long to figure these things out. I liked _you_ straight away, didn’t I?” He squeezed the Professor’s arm, and Barker thought about how warm Noah’s hands always were. He could feel their warmth to the bone.


End file.
